Russell Beaumont Woakes died on 10th April, 1963, after a long illness. He was 73 years of age.
Educated at Bedford Grammar School and at the Royal School of Mines, London, Mr. Woakes was awarded the Associateship of the School in mining in 1910. He then undertook a two-year postgraduate course with Ooregum Gold Mining Co., Ltd., India, and in November, 1912, joined Nundydroog Gold Mining Co., Ltd., India, as assistant surveyor, remaining in that position until 1915.
In March of that year Mr. Woakes joined the Indian Army Reserve of Officers, being attached, as a second lieutenant, to the Second Q.V.O. Sappers and Miners. He served in India and Mesopotamia until 1919, attaining the rank of major. He was awarded the Military Cross and was twice mentioned in despatches.
In 1920 Mr. Woakes rejoined Nundydroog Gold Mining Co., Ltd., as assistant surveyor and assistant mine agent, remaining there until taking up the post of assistant mine agent with Mysore Gold Mining Co., Ltd., in 1922. He then worked for a brief period as chief mine agent, Cordoba Copper Co., Ltd., India, and in September, 1924, joined Indian Copper Corporation, Ltd. Mr. Woakes was employed by the Corporation as superintendent, manager and, subsequently, as manager, having full charge of operations in India. Mr. Woakes remained with the Corporation in India until 1938, when he went to Australia to take up the post of general manager with Lake George Mines, Ltd., New South Wales. In the following year he joined Burma Corporation, Ltd., then returned to Australia in 1940, remaining there until 1945.
On his return to the United Kingdom he was retained by the mining finance the late Mr. H.G. Latilla, to visit and report initially on the properties of the Esperanza Copper and Sulphur Co., Ltd., in Cyprus. He was subsequently appointed consultant to that company. As a result of this introduction Mr. Woakes joined the Finsbury Pavement House group of companies, with a special reference to the Nigerian interests. After carrying out a survey of the lead-zinc deposits in and around Abakaliki, Eastern Nigeria, he became closely concerned with the alluvial tin mining companies of the group, especially Ribon Valley (Nigeria) Tin Fields and United Tin Areas of Nigeria Ltd., and, in fact, took a leading part in the negotiations by the latter company for the expansion of its interests in 1955 in its columbite mining. On relinquishing his appointment as consultant he was progressively appointed to the boards of both the foregoing companies and to Gold and Base Metal Mines of Nigeria, Ltd., and Ex-Lands Nigeria, Ltd. As his health began to fail so he resigned in turn from each of these boards, finally severing his connection in 1960.
Mr. Woakes was elected a Student of the Institution in 1908, was transferred to Associate Membership in 1915, and to Membership in 1929. He served as Overseas Member of Council for India from 1938 to 1939 and as a Member of Council 1950 to 1957. He was a Vice-President of the Institution from 1957 to 1960.
Among Mr. Woakes’ technical publications are ‘The inefficient use of compressed air in mining’ (Transactions, vol. 38, 1928-29) and ‘Installation of a new rope on aerial ropeway of the Indian Copper Corporation, Limited’ (Transactions, vol. 1933-34).
Vol. 74, Trans IMM 1964-65, pp.899-900
